The Hindu : Sport : Chance for India to wrap up series

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport

Chance for India to wrap up series

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Pietersen & Co. have promised efficiency and aggression to stay alive

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

RETURN OF THE CHAMP: The peerless Sachin Tendulkar, set to play his first match of the series, goes out for practice under grey skies enveloping the Chinnaswamy Stadium on the eve of the fourth one-dayer against England.

Bangalore: Dark clouds did the rounds in all senses at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

There was a hint of rain and to make it worse, Indian captain M.S. Dhoni had to clear the air over his alleged threat to “resign from captaincy.”

Bangalore weather is known for its fickle nature and the sun might well be out on Sunday ahead of the day-night match but the needless speculation over Dhoni’s remarks about quitting was another pointer to the strange ways of Indian cricket and its attendant media-circus.

The pre-match media briefing almost became a one-point discussion on Dhoni and captaincy until the skipper asked, “Don’t you want to know anything about tomorrow’s match?”

It is indeed a strange backdrop with the Indian team gearing up for the fourth ODI of the seven-match series at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday evening as a clear favourite with a 3-0 lead.

Batting bolstered

The team got a fillip with Sachin Tendulkar joining the ranks after a long gap following his Commonwealth Bank series-winning heroics in Australia in March.

Tendulkar will bolster a batting line-up that has surged on Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh’s blistering blades.

Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma will feel the heat as one of them might well make way for the maestro. The duo has not cashed in on its chances though Raina at Rajkot and Rohit at Kanpur did promise more.

The bowling has a polished look with Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel striking rhythm and the spinners, led by Harbhajan Singh, mixing loop and lethality against tentative batsmen.

Add to it Yuvraj and Sehwag’s golden arm and Dhoni has an attack that allows him the liberty of overlooking Tendulkar’s ability to tweak in some magic at the bowling crease. “If we feel the need we will make Sachin bowl,” Dhoni added a rider.

However, with winter settling in and dew moisturising the turf, it remains to be seen whether the bowlers can grip the ball under lights.

Reputation at stake

Dhoni, however, will have to contend with a rival outfit that comes into the match with its captain’s reputation at stake.

Kevin Pietersen came to India as a successful skipper but his men seem a touch in awe of Dhoni’s men who have been better during the critical moments though Andrew Flintoff would beg to differ.

England’s re-jigged batting order with Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara opening and Pietersen at No. 3 did spell hope and urgency at Kanpur though the skipper undid himself in trying to lunge at Harbhajan Singh.

The rest, though, have not contributed yet with the exception of a measured Owais Shah and Flintoff’s big hits at Indore. Former skipper Paul Collingwood needs to revive his batting and chip in quick.

The bowling has hinged on Stuart Broad’s ability to surprise and Flintoff’s larger-than-life persona. The spin quotient of Graeme Swann and Samit Patel are learning hard lessons against Indian batsmen with dancing feet on flat pitches.

And to add to the visitor’s woes, left-arm speedster Ryan Sidebottom has been ruled out of the rest of the series.

Crucial game

England has to win the match else the series would be in India’s pocket. The team has to get beyond its Pietersen and Flintoff hangover and the others need to put their hands up.

India is a rival in ominous form in its backyard but the visitor needs to showcase its promised efficiency and aggression that is spun in pre-match press conferences but seldom practised on the ground.

As the teams trained at the venue on the eve of the match, the giant screen that had a dry run beaming images of India’s Natwest Trophy triumph could well give different hints to the teams.

India can think about pushing the envelope further while Pietersen’s men can quash their lips and derive added motivation to revive themselves from stupor. But before that the skies need to clear.

The teams (from):

India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha. Coach: Gary Kirsten.

England: Kevin Pietersen (captain), Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Samit Patel, Stuart Broad, Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Alastair Cook, Graeme Swann, Tim Ambrose and Luke Wright. Coach: Peter Moores.

Umpires: Daryl Harper and Amish Saheba; Third umpire: Shavir Tarapore; Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Hours of play: 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 6.45 p.m. to close of play.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport